Car coupler

ABSTRACT

An automatic coupler for railway vehicles in which the vertical height of the coupler head may be adjusted while maintaining the vertical alignment of the coupler face.

UriitedS-tzitesPatenit' Inventor Appl.

Filed Patented Assignee Donald L. Herbert Lexington, Ohio Aug. 7, 1968 Jan. 19, 1971 The Ohio Brass Company Mansfield, Ohio a corporation of New Jersey CAR COUPLER 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl.

1m. Cl 861g 9/04 Field of Search 213/71;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hume Hoover...

Carlson Ashbaugh Bridwell et al..

Larsson Toth et a1.

Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorney-Bosworth, Sessions, Herrstrom and Cain ABSTRACT: An automatic coupler for railway vehicles in which the vertical height of the coupler head may be adjusted while maintaining the vertical alignment of the coupler face.

PATENTED JAN 1 9 I97! SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR. DONALD L. HERBERT BY I JLM (42% ATTUQNEYS.

PATENTED JAN 1 9 I97! SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTO DONALD L. HERB HMW I a ATTOENEY5 justed.

I can courts:

BACKGROUND OF THEv INVENTION This invention-relates-to automatic car couplers for railway vehicles and more particularly to automatic couplers wherein the vertical height of the coupler head may be-readily ading I8, an integrally formed draw bar I9, a flange 2I and a coupler head 22. The two coupler heads I7 and 22 have the adjoining parts thereof constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement and separation to couple and to uncouple the two cars in the conventional manner.

The coupler I2 is carried on the underside of the car I by means of an anchor 23 which supports the draw bar I and a sector bar 24 which supports the flange 16 in known manner. The coupler 13 is carried on the underside of the car II by an anchor 25 which supports the draw bar I9 and a sector bar 26 which supports the flange 21 also in known manner. The cars and II are equipped with anticlimbers 27 and 28 arranged between the cars at the adjacent ends thereof as is well known member movesthe arm'and thereby rotates the coupler head about the'pivotal mounting. Rotation of the coupler head about the pivot mounting moves the coupler face out of the to those skilled in the art. r I

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupler head 22 of coupler I3 is carried by a yoke 29 which extends axially into the housing I8 and is resiliently held therein by a conventional draft gear mechanism (not shown). The coupler head is supported from the yoke 29 by a clevis pin 32 in amanner to be hereinafter described. The coupler head pivots about the plane normal to-the horizontal axis of the yoke with the result that the coupler face is no longervertical with respect to the rails. To prevent hard coupling and possible damage to the coupler parts and electrical contacts. care must be taken in coupling two cars thereby increasing the cost of operation. In I many situations trainmen do' not exercise care in coupling the cars'there by increasing the possibility of damage to the couplerparts. i t

' SUMMARY of THE INVENTION t is, therefore, an object of the presentinvention to provide pler head while maintaining the coupler face verticalv with respect to the rails. A further object of the present invention is 'to'provide an automatic car coupler for railway vehicles that provides vertical height adjustment forthe coupler head. Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic car coupler wherein the possibility of damageto the coupler is les- -sened.t I

This invention proposes pivotally mounting the coupler I clevis pin 32'to provide for adjustments in the elevation of the coupler face 31 and is held in position by an arm 33 extending downwardly from the coupler head 22. Arm 33 engages a bearing member 34 carried by the arm 35 of the. yoke 29. The

bearing member 34 is resiliently biased against the arm 33 by a spring 36 (FIG. 5) in order that the coupler'head 22 will be maintained in proper aligned relationship with the cooperating coupler head I7 to permit relative sliding vertical movementtherebetween. Adjustment of the position of the bearing member 34 with respect to the arm 33 isaccomplished by vthe a nut 37 in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art.

' car coupl means ad-lusung height of the relief movement of the coupler '13 with resPCt to the anchor head to the yoke of a draft gear and draw bar assembly. The

coupler head pivots about a clevis pin extending between the two arms of the yoke. The clevis pin is rotatably supported in the arms of the yoke by a bushing and washer assembly. The bushing is provided with a polygonal-shaped bore to receive a correspondingly shaped washer which is provided with an cccentric bore to receive the clevis pin. Rotation of the washer in the bushing thereby changes the location of the hole for the clevis pin with the resultant change in't'he position of the coupler head.

DESCRII'IION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: v v

FIG. I is a partial elevational view of two railway vehicles showing the associated ends thereof, thecouplers, and the 7 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referringnow to FIG I, there are shown two railway cars I. and II which are connected by couplers I2 and I3 at the adjacent ends of the two cars. The couplers I2 and 13 are of the same design and construction. The coupler I2 comprises a 7 housing 14, an integrally formed draw bar I5. a flange I6 and a coupler head I7, Similarly, the coupler I3 comprises a housline 6- of no. 4.

The draw bar 19 is connected to'the anchor 25 to provide a upon application of excess buffing forces to the coupler as set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,197,039. The yoke 29 and draft gear are releasably held within the housing 18 of the couplerl3 in a conventional manner, as for example, in the manner shown in US. Pat. No. 2,802,581. Inasmuch as the draft gear mechanism, the means for releasably securing the yoke to the housing 18 and the means for securing the draw. bar 19 to the anchor 25 form no part of this invention, no further description is believed necessary.

The coupler head 22 includes a knuckle 38, a buffer member 39, a projecting piece 41 and a counterpart recess 42, all for engaging and cooperating with the associated parts of the'companion coupler 17 as shown in FIG. I. The coupler head design shown in the drawings is merely for illustrative purposes. It should be understood that other designs may be used with equal facility in this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the yoke 29 is provided with spaced end portions or arms-43 to receive therebetween in conventional'manner the rear end 30 of the coupler head .22. The rear end 30 of coupler head 22 is pivotally mounted on the yoke 29 by means of the clevis pin 32 extending between the two arms 43 and through bore 53 in the rear end 30. The clevis pin 32 is rotatably mounted in the arms 43 in a pair of washers 44, each mounted in an arm 43 of the yoke 29. Each of the washers 44 is provided with an opening 45 which is eccentric with respect to the axis of the washer 44, the function of which will be hereinafter explained. The periphery 46 of each washer 44 is polygonal in configuration. As shown in FIG. 5, the periphery 46 is in the shape of a hexagon. It should be understood that various polygonal configurations may be utilized; for example, the washers'44'may be octagonal or pentagonal. In order to retain the clevis pin 32 in the desired position,

' the washers 44 are nonrotatably positioned within bushings 47. The circumference 49 of the bushings 47 is shown as circular for ease of assembly in the arms 43 and to conserve material. It should be understood that other configurations i may be utilized. The bushings 47 are nonrotatably fixed in openings 50 in the arms 43 of theyoke 29 and retained in position bywelding as at 48 or by otherconventional means. The

bore 51 of each bushing is polygonal and corresponds to the configuration of the periphery 46 of each washer 44 in order that the washers 44 may be nonrotatably retained in the bushings 47 and arms 43 of the yoke. Accidental dislodgment of the clevis pin 32 from the yoke 29 is prevented by roll pins 52 extending through those portions of the clevis pin that lie outside of the yoke 29 in a manner well-known in the'art.

Vertical adjustment of the coupler head 22' while its major axis remains horizontal and parallel to the'horizontal axis of the yoke 29 is accomplished by changing the position of the washers 44 within the bushings 47. As shown inthe FIG. 5, the

axis of the coupler head 22 and the yoke 29 are on the same I horizontal plane. If the coupler head 22 is to be lowered, the washer 44 from each arm 43 is removed and rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the desired position, which will be determined by the polygonal configurations of the washers 44 and the bores 51 of the bushings 47. If the coupler head 22 is to be raised, all that is required is a removal of the washers 44 and a rotation of the same in a clockwise direction to the desired position, as for example to the phantom line position shown in H6. 5. Changing the position of the washers 44, changes the location of the bores 45 of the washers. Changes in location of the bores 45 change the position ofthe clevis pin I of the coupler in the desired horizontal plane and the face of the coupler in a vertical plane.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the coupler design of this invention permits rapid adjustment of the vertical height of the coupler head and at the same time maintains the coupler head horizontal. It should be understood that various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

. l. A railway vehicle coupler comprising a housing, a yoke carried by said housing, a coupler head, pin means for connecting said coupler head to saidyoke for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and journal means on said yoke angularly adjustable relative to said yoke about a horizontal axis that is eccentric relative to said horizontal axis of said pin means, for rotatably supporting said pin means with its horizontal axis in a plurality of different horizontal levels with respect to the horizontal axis of said yoke.

2. A railway vehicle coupler according to claim 1 wherein said yoke is provided with a U-shaped head and said pin means extends across said U-shaped head.

3. A railway vehicle coupler according to claim 1 including resiliently biased bearing means carried by said yoke and vertically depending means on said coupler head adapted to engage said bearing means, said bearing means being adjustable relative to said yoke whereby said coupler head may be supported in the same desired angular attitude relative to said yoke regardless of the position of said journal means.

4. A railway vehicle coupler according'to claim 2 wherein said U-shaped head is provided with a bushing nonrotatably affixed on each side of said head, said bushing having a polygonal-shaped bore, and a washer removably positioned in said bore, said washer having a polygona-Lperipheral surface corresponding to said polygonal bore and aneccentric bore adapted to receive said pin means. r v

5. A railway vehicle coupler according. to claim 4vwherein said polygonal bore and said pcripheral'surface are hexagonal in configuration. 1 I

6. A coupler for railway vehicles comprising a draft gear housing, a yoke carried by said housing, a coupler head, a clevis pin for pivotally mounting said coupler head on said yoke about an axis of the clevis pin, and journal means on said yoke angularly adjustable relative to said yoke about a horizontal axis that is eccentric relative to the axis of said clevis pin, for pivotally supporting said clevis pin, said journal means being adapted by said angular adjustment to support said pin in a plurality of different horizontal levels with respect to the horizontal axis of said yoke.

7. A coupler according to claim 6 wherein said means comprises a pair of bushings nonrotatably affixed to opposite sides of said yoke, said bushings having a polygonal bore, and a correspondingly polygonal-shaped washer removably positioned in the bore of each bushing, said washers having an eccentric bore adapted to rotatably supported said clevis pin therebetween.

8. A coupler according to claim 7 wherein said polygonal bore and said washer are hexagonal in configuration 9. A railway vehicle coupler comprising a housing connected to the respective railway vehicle, a yoke carried by said housing, a coupler head, pin means for connecting said coupler head to said yoke for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, journal means on said yoke angularly adjustable relative to said yoke about a horizontal axis that is eccentric relative to said horizontal axis of said pin means, for rotatably supporting said pin means with its horizontal axis in a plurality of different horizontal levels with respect to the horizontal axis of said yoke, bearing means carried by said yoke and offset from said pin means, bearing means carried by said coupler head and adapted to engage said bearing means carried by said yoke and means providing adjustment of at least ohe of said bearing means whereby said coupler head may be supported in the same desired angular attitude relative 'to said yoke regardless of the position of saidjournal means. 

1. A railway vehicle coupler comprising a housing, a yoke carried by said housing, a coupler head, pin means for connecting said coupler head to said yoke for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and journal means on said yoke angularly adjustable relative to said yoke about a horizontal axis that is eccentric relative to said horizontal axis of said pin means, for rotatably supporting said pin means with its horizontal axis in a plurality of different horizontal levels with respect to the horizontal axis of said yoke.
 2. A railway vehicle coupler according to claim 1 wherein said yoke is provided with a U-shaped head and said pin means extends across said U-shaped head.
 3. A railway vehicle coupler according to claim 1 including resiliently biased bearing means carried by said yoke and vertically depending means on said coupler head adapted to engage said bearing means, said bearing means being adjustable relative to said yoke whereby said coupler head may be supported in the Same desired angular attitude relative to said yoke regardless of the position of said journal means.
 4. A railway vehicle coupler according to claim 2 wherein said U-shaped head is provided with a bushing nonrotatably affixed on each side of said head, said bushing having a polygonal-shaped bore, and a washer removably positioned in said bore, said washer having a polygonal peripheral surface corresponding to said polygonal bore and an eccentric bore adapted to receive said pin means.
 5. A railway vehicle coupler according to claim 4 wherein said polygonal bore and said peripheral surface are hexagonal in configuration.
 6. A coupler for railway vehicles comprising a draft gear housing, a yoke carried by said housing, a coupler head, a clevis pin for pivotally mounting said coupler head on said yoke about an axis of the clevis pin, and journal means on said yoke angularly adjustable relative to said yoke about a horizontal axis that is eccentric relative to the axis of said clevis pin, for pivotally supporting said clevis pin, said journal means being adapted by said angular adjustment to support said pin in a plurality of different horizontal levels with respect to the horizontal axis of said yoke.
 7. A coupler according to claim 6 wherein said means comprises a pair of bushings nonrotatably affixed to opposite sides of said yoke, said bushings having a polygonal bore, and a correspondingly polygonal-shaped washer removably positioned in the bore of each bushing, said washers having an eccentric bore adapted to rotatably supported said clevis pin therebetween.
 8. A coupler according to claim 7 wherein said polygonal bore and said washer are hexagonal in configuration.
 9. A railway vehicle coupler comprising a housing connected to the respective railway vehicle, a yoke carried by said housing, a coupler head, pin means for connecting said coupler head to said yoke for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, journal means on said yoke angularly adjustable relative to said yoke about a horizontal axis that is eccentric relative to said horizontal axis of said pin means, for rotatably supporting said pin means with its horizontal axis in a plurality of different horizontal levels with respect to the horizontal axis of said yoke, bearing means carried by said yoke and offset from said pin means, bearing means carried by said coupler head and adapted to engage said bearing means carried by said yoke and means providing adjustment of at least one of said bearing means whereby said coupler head may be supported in the same desired angular attitude relative to said yoke regardless of the position of said journal means. 